(Tokyo) The latest episode of the iconic Japanese video game series Final Fantasy was released on Thursday, a moment eagerly awaited by lovers of its slick graphics and intricate plots, and which could boost PlayStation 5 sales.
Final Fantasy XVIthe latest opus of one of the most famous video game franchises with more than 173 million copies sold in total according to its publisher Square Enix, is only available on the Sony console.
In Tokyo, Naoto Nishimori, 37, made a detour before going to work to get his hands on the new episode, explaining that he had played all the titles in the series.
He says he was delighted when producer Naoki Yoshida – also famous for bringing back to life Final Fantasy XIV – was selected to work on this new episode introducing a darker and more adult atmosphere, inspired by the series Game Of Throneswhich Mr. Yoshida said he made his team watch.
Yuan, a 21-year-old student who declined to give his last name, says he was drawn to the game’s story, whose dark atmosphere makes it “particularly appealing”.
South Korean fans also turned out for the release. In Seoul, 23-year-old Jo Young-min said he expects the game to be a hit because “Japanese culture is very popular, and also because Final Fantasy already has an ardent fan base.”
Day off
The series, which was born in 1987, is an institution of the Japanese RPG (role-playing game), now counting 16 main numbered episodes, but also dozens of other titles in various genres (combat, racing, rhythm…).
It was initially launched on Nintendo’s first console, but its developers migrated ten years later to the PlayStation, whose CD medium offered greater storage capacity than Nintendo’s cartridges, allowing the franchise to attract a new audience.
Games Final Fantasy are renowned for their constant renewal, evolving over the decades from turn-based 2D combat to real-time confrontations.
Mr. Otani, a 36-year-old Japanese civil servant who only wished to give his last name, says he took the day off so he could play Final Fantasy XVI.
“The graphics are beautiful, the story is moving, so I waited in line to buy it the day it came out,” he adds.
In Europe, where Final Fantasy is also considered a “legendary license”, the adventure offered by the latest opus “is both grandiose, but also imperfect in certain aspects”, according to the French youtubeur Julien Chièze.
This video game specialist, who tested the game, cites in particular “uneven” graphics on the faces of the characters or even a “rhythm problem” which will “chop up the gameplay (game mechanics, editor’s note)”, due to including eleven hours of cinematic scenes.
Daniel Ahmad, of the analyst firm Niko Partners, told AFP that the release of this new episode, the demo of which received a positive reception, combined with a better availability of the PS5 on the shelves, could help boost sales of Sony consoles.
The Japanese giant’s console was released in November 2020, but production has suffered from semiconductor shortages and supply chain disruptions related to COVID-19.